The countdown to Christmas has begun! And as the craziness of the year finally dulls down, many Americans are ready to begin the period of luxurious indulgence on the tastiest treats that come around towards the holly jolly holiday season.
Collectively as a nation, America surely has enough classic Christmas foods to fill up a giant recipe book! Being a melting pot of diversity and home to a bunch of different backgrounds, each state has Christmas foods that are individually unique. From traditional delights like spicy pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole, sugar cookies, and cranberry sauce, to twists like reindeer meat, pickle wraps, Cuban pig roast, and Kalua pig pork, these notable festive flavors are the ultimate indulgence after a stress-filled and pandemic-fueled year.
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Christmas.co.uk, provider of Christmas tips, tricks, and traditions carried out a survey of 3,485 Americans, ranking the nation’s most iconic Christmas meals, dishes and desserts. And it was found that overall, the most iconic Christmas food was awarded to the Granite State classic: pumpkin pie! Granite Staters are huge traditionalists, so it’s no surprise that the iconic pumpkin pie is the firm favorite in New Hampshire. This sweet and seasonal treat has graced Christmas dinner tables for decades and whilst the recipe is simple, the dish is always a crowd-pleaser.
Next up, Alabama’s Crescent recipes reigned second-most superior Christmas food across America. Golden brown and baked to a warm, crispy finish with visibly flaky layers, the crescent dough can be transformed into a variety of dishes over the festive season. From classic homemade, buttery crescent rolls with sweet or savory fillings; to crescent fruit cobbler made with the Yellowhammer State’s national treasures: blackberries, there’s certainly no shortage of culinary delights in Alabamians’ kitchens over the holidays!
In third place, Utah’s green bean casserole emerged in bronze position. For Utahns, the green bean casserole is the perfect hearty accompaniment to any Christmas dinner. Growing green beans helps put nitrogen back into your garden soil, so If you’re feeling green-fingered, the best time to plant your green bean seeds is during the spring months of April and May.
Further down the rankings, in 11th place (but still among America’s favorite Christmas foods), came Maryland’s crab cake. It’s no secret that crab cakes are an Old Line State signature dish. A true Maryland crab cake contains discernible chunks of juicy crab meat; is made with just the right amount of filler to bind everything together, and has a sweet, moreish flavor. Crab cakes usually contain breadcrumbs or crushed saltines, egg, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, mustard, and chopped chives or green onion – how could they not be perfectly delicious?!
On the opposite end of the scale, Nevada’s Sopa de Rescame in second-last position. A Latin-American classic dish that has crept up and north of the border into Nevada! Sopa de Res is the perfect winter warmer on a cold Christmas night made from beef, corn, hearty vegetables and garnished with limes and cilantro.
In the final position, it appears Minnesota’s lutefiskis only a local favorite, and far from the nation’s most popular! Originally started as a Nordic holiday tradition, lutefisk dinners are now a defining element of a quintessential Minnesotan Christmas dinner, regardless of their background. Lutefisk is a type of dried whitefish (usually cod) that is soaked in water for a number of days and pickled in lye. It has a gelatinous texture and is especially popular in the Twin Cities area due to a large presence in Scandinavian history.
‘After being cooped up indoors for months, many Americans are looking forward to finally seeing family and friends again; as well as regaining the holiday spirit many anticipate towards the end of the working year,’ says Daniel Brown of Christmas.co.uk. ‘Of course, many love the customs and traditions associated with Christmas, however, if you’re looking to experiment with new, different food this time around, now is the perfect time to begin recipe testing!”